Four Takeaways from Tottenham Carabao Cup Win over Brentford

Competition is Heating Up

Maybe it was the nature of the match being a Cup semifinal, but I would like to think it is something more. Tottenham may have made some mistakes and could have played better technically, as coach Mourinho has suggested, however, I am not sure they could have played much harder.

Seeing Harry Kane and Tanguy Ndombele sprinting to cut down the space and set the pressure on the Brentford defense really set the tone for the match. For Ndombele, despite an injury to Giovani Lo Celso, he knows Dele Alli is right there.

If you look at Moussa Sissoko or his closest competition Harry Winks, they have both stepped up their games. In the last month, both have scored and laid on assists. Although both have plenty of skill and determination, neither are known for scoring or getting assists. Yet, there is two of each from the pair in the last month.

In the Brentford game Winks completed all 23 of his passes and Sissoko of course scored the big goal and provided a strong 90 minutes. Davinson Sanchez has been more consistent and Sergio Reguilón played like his life depended on it in his 71 minutes. Both of those players are battling for more consistent minutes within the team.

All over the pitch, you are seeing more and more each match from this Tottenham team. Whether it is the proximity to some silverware or that everyone is finally realizing playtime is earned is irrelevant. What is relevant is that players are playing hard for the shirt!

The Gap is Closing

Over the last three weeks Tottenham have played two Championship squads in the Carabao Cup – Stoke City and Brentford – and one ‘newly’ promoted side in the Premier League in Leeds. One thing is abundantly clear in those three matches, which were all convincing Tottenham wins is that the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is closing.

Coach Mourinho has been singing this song for a while now, but after seeing the action up close for the last fortnight, it is clear he is right. The Championship is a quality league, with a lot of good, top-quality sides. Stoke were just a goal scorer short of really giving Tottenham a tough match and Brentford seriously missed their captain Pontus Jansson in the back.

A little more zip for Stoke and that defensive focus for Brentford and they are right there with anyone Spurs have played outside the top six this season. While his goal was correctly called out for offside by VAR, Ivan Toney was incredible in scoring the header. His ability to get off the ground and react as quickly as he did is only something a true goal scorer can do.

Fans in Manchester are going to bemoan the fact Spurs had the ‘easier’ route to the final, particularly if they beat City in late April at Wembley. However, Championship or not, there was nothing ‘easy’ about the wins against two well organized, disciplined teams. One thing is clear however, while there is a still a gap, it is closing.